Tim Lincecum: Although he lost his no-hit bid and 29-inning scoreless streak in the seventh, the 2008 Cy Young Award winner was masterful.

WHO'S NOT

Josh Geer: Gives up three more home runs. Has given up at least one homer in 13 of his 14 starts this season. His 22 homers allowed top the National League.

BY THE NUMBERS

2.2 – Homers per nine innings allowed by Josh Geer this season.

5 – Game hitting streak by Kevin Kouzmanoff (8-for-20)

6 – Game hitting streak by Tony Gwynn (8-for-26).

9.00 – ERA for Cla Meredith in his past eight relief appearances.

32 – Runs, of the 57 allowed by Geer this season, coming on home runs.

– BILL CENTER

SAN FRANCISCO – Yes, it was a mismatch, the convergence of reigning Cy Young Award-winner Tim Lincecum pitching to the weakest-hitting team in the major leagues, namely the Padres. If a no-hitter was conceivable before his first delivery, it seemed almost inevitable after six innings.

Once the seventh-inning line drive off Tony Gwynn's bat landed in the left-field tundra at semi-frigid AT&T Park, however, the real mismatch of the evening proved to be Josh Geer vs. the Giants. In particular, it was old nemesis Bengie Molina, who hit the first of three homers off Geer in a 9-3 Giants victory.

As ill-suited as the .236-hitting, 30th-ranked Padres offense was against Lincecum, the Giants were going against the National League leader in home runs allowed. The two-run homer struck by Molina – who swatted five round-trippers against the Padres last year – and solo shots in back-to-back fashion by Travis Ishikawa and Juan Uribe brought the total against Josh Geer to 22.

“I think I'm just trying to throw too many strikes,” Geer said. “I don't want to get behind in the count, but I end up hanging the ball up. I've got to be more aggressive. What I've done my whole life is aim the ball, not try to overthrow. At this level, though, you reach a point where you have to change and adjust.”

Lincecum likely will make his next start against the American League's best hitters in the All-Star Game. As it is, his 10 victories, majors-leading strikeout total of 149 and league-best ERA of 2.13 should make him an easy choice to open for the NL on Tuesday night, but imagine if he went to St. Louis with a brand-new no-no.

Thing was, as the evening grew later, Lincecum got better. He'd opened the game with a walk to Everth Cabrera – who was hung up on Gonzalez's double-play liner – and issued another walk to Will Venable in the second. Lincecum had retired 13 straight – the last three by strikeout – when Gwynn stroked the single.